Tower Safety

Tower safety is an important issue for the communications industry. The Environmental, Health and Safety Communications Panel (EHSCP) supports and is participating with the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) Wireless Industry Safety Task Force efforts to reduce tower related injuries and fatalities and endorses NATE’s 100% Tie-Off 24/7 Awareness Campaign.

During NATE’s February 2014 conference, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor, Dr. David Michaels, presented the keynote address expressing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) concern about the increase in tower related accidents and introducing a campaign focusing on tower safety. This effort includes sending notices to tower employers, publishing a new Fatal Facts bulletin, and launching a new communications tower web page. OSHA plans to issue a revised communication tower directive and is planning to conduct more inspections at communication towers.